The Ringer journalist Brian Phillips asked on Bluesky:

I’m working on a column about the tech annoyances that drive us crazy, and I want it to be as universal as possible, so tell me yours!

E.g. scanning a QR code to read a menu, never receiving the one-time passcode they supposedly texted you, “verify you’re human” by IDing tiny motorcycles, etc.

There are already many responses. I am drafting behind Phillips before he even writes his essay, because I like occasionally checking in with people this way. Not just for commiserating; perhaps scanning the answers will also give you some inspiration, or validation, or quotes for something you can push to make better, wherever you are.

Some patterns I noticed:

• A lot of logging in woes: password requirements, bouncing people from apps to web to log in, login flows forgetting context, “I trusted this device” settings you cannot trust.
• “Local news websites that crash under the weight of all their pop-up ads and auto-play videos.” This post had a great take:

The way super sketchy bootleg websites used to look (written in questionable English, 2/3 of the window overtaken by ads, constant popups and redirects, incorrect information more often than not) is just how all websites are now.

• Hatred of QR codes, or perhaps what they represent: needing to install an app, removing people out of the equation, introducing phones where they weren’t needed before.
• Surprisingly little AI. Is that because of the audience or the way the question was phrased?

Also, this little beauty:

My toaster says to unplug when not in use. It also has a digital clock that resets when I unplug it.